Some photos are more than just a photo. This one, taken around 1968 or 1969, captures a group of hunters gathered at Winfred Orndorf’s place during deer season. To George “Buddy” Norris, these men were more than hunting companions. They…
In the Cacapon Valley, hunting has never been just a pastime. For generations, it was also a practical necessity, helping families put food on the table and make ends meet during difficult times. Deer, squirrel, turkey, and other game provided…
For nearly a century, one West Virginia family has worked to protect a special place along the North River — ensuring the forests, streams, and wildlife remain for generations to come. For Gene E. Fisher, the 163 acres known as…
For Stephen Slonaker, protecting his land isn’t just about today’s crops or this year’s harvest. It’s about certainty — the kind that stretches far beyond one lifetime. The Slonaker family has owned and farmed land along Dillons Run for more…
Some moments stay with us – not because they were dramatic, but because they quietly changed how we see the world. In December 2015, longtime conservation supporter John Gavitt shared two simple photographs on Facebook. More than a decade later,…
Farming has long worn a romantic reputation – open fields, rolling hills, and a life close to the land. But for the families who have worked this Valley generation after generation, the truth is far more complex. Farming can be…
The Valley has a way of settling you. Its long views – fields stitched together with barns, woods, and homes – feel steady, almost timeless. That sense of calm doesn’t come from neglect or chance. It comes from people who…
Shortly after Ralph Spaid inherited a beautiful, secluded farm known as “Little Egypt” from his Uncle Winifred Orndorff, he made a trip into town to meet with the lawyer. Ralph says he knew something was up when the fellow addressed him as Mister Spaid.
Farm owner Hope Yankey is surrounded by one-and-a-half year old trees, protected by white tree tubes, in this “re-wilding” area on Wilding Woolly Farm. Areas of the farm are being reforested to help protect water quality in the Lost River…
